Tax Season: What To Know If You Get Social Security or Supplemental Security Income
Reading Time: 4 MinutesLast Updated: November 2, 2023
It’s tax season once again. It’s important to read this blog even if your earnings or benefits don’t require you to file a federal tax return. You may be entitled to special tax credits that can mean extra cash to help you with expenses. These tax credits are available even if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and don’t normally file a tax return.
The Child Tax Credit
What is the Child Tax Credit (CTC)?
The CTC is a tax benefit, expanded in March 2021, that helps families who are raising children. You can claim the CTC for any qualifying child even if you don’t usually file a federal tax return. You can get up to $3,600 per qualifying child under age 6, and up to $3,000 for each qualifying child age 6 – 17. These ages are determined as of December 31, 2021.
Am I eligible for the CTC if I get Social Security or SSI?
Yes, if you meet the qualifying rules of the CTC. You can claim this credit from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) based on each of your qualifying children, even if you get Social Security or SSI and don’t normally file a tax return. You also may have received up to half of your credit through advance monthly CTC payments made by the IRS from July to December 2021. For more information about advance monthly CTC payments, you can visit ChildTaxCredit.gov and the IRS 2021 CTC and Advance CTC Payments Frequently Asked Questions.
Will advance monthly CTC payments, or any CTC I claim on my tax return, reduce my Social Security or SSI benefits?
Advance monthly CTC payments, as well as any CTC that you claim on your 2021 tax return, won’t reduce your Social Security benefits.
If you receive SSI, we won’t count the CTC (or any advance monthly payments you might have received during 2021) as income or resources for 12 months after you receive it when considering your eligibility for SSI and monthly SSI payment amount. If you received any advance monthly CTC payments, be aware of when you received them. You can get that information from the IRS Child Tax Credit Update Portal.
How do I claim the CTC?
You can claim the CTC when you file your federal tax return for 2021. You can visit ChildTaxCredit.gov for options to file a federal tax return for free.
What if I have questions about the CTC?
Please visit ChildTaxCredit.gov and read IRS Filing Season 2021 CTC Questions and Answers if you have questions. Social Security can’t answer CTC questions.
The Earned Income Tax Credit
What is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?
The EITC provides low- to moderate-income workers and families a tax break. If you qualify, you can use the credit to reduce the taxes you owe – and maybe increase your refund. The EITC amount you might get generally depends on your earned income and the number of your qualifying children.
Am I eligible for the EITC if I get Social Security or SSI?
Yes, if you meet the qualifying rules of the EITC. Receiving Social Security or SSI doesn’t affect your eligibility for the EITC.
Do my Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or SSI payments count as earned income for the EITC?
Learn if your disability payments count as earned income for the EITC at the IRS’ Disability and the Earned Income Tax Credit webpage.
How do I claim the EITC?
To claim the EITC, you must qualify and file a federal tax return. You can visit ChildTaxCredit.gov for options to file a federal tax return for free.
What if I have questions about the EITC?
Learn more about the EITC, including basic qualifications, at the IRS’ Earned Income Tax Credit webpage. Social Security can’t answer EITC questions.
Your Annual Social Security Benefit Statement
What is the Benefit Statement and what do I do with it?
Your Benefit Statement is a tax form from Social Security that shows the total amount of Social Security benefits you received in the previous year. It’s also referred to as an SSA-1099. Noncitizens who live outside of the United States receive the SSA-1042S instead of the SSA-1099. You should report the amount of Social Security income you received to the IRS on your federal tax return.
The Benefit Statement isn’t available for people who only receive SSI payments because SSI payments aren’t taxed.
How do I get my annual benefit statement?
If you receive Social Security benefits, we mailed your Benefit Statement to your address on file with us. If you didn’t receive it, or if lost, you can get your SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S instantly online with a my Social Security account.
Remember to Check your Earnings History
If you don’t receive Social Security benefits, this is a great time to review your earnings history by looking at your Social Security Statement (Statement). It’s important because your future Social Security benefits will be based on your earnings history we received from the IRS. Underreported earnings will mean lower monthly benefit payments when you are ready to start receiving them.
Use your Statement to review your earnings history and to see personalized benefit estimates so you can plan for your future.
Tax season doesn’t have to be a stressful time of year. And for many people, it’s an opportunity to claim additional money. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, more Americans can claim larger Child Tax Credits and Earned Income Tax Credits for 2021.
Please share this blog with family and friends and remember that Social Security is here to help secure your today and tomorrow.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: General Information, my Social Security, my Social Security account, Social Security benefits
See CommentsAbout the Author
Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Darlynda Bogle, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Comments
Comments are closed.
Stephen
States that tax Social Security benefits
Colorado
Connecticut
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
New Mexico
North Dakota
Rhode Island
Utah
Vermont
West Virginia (until 2022)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/retirement/by-2022-only-these-12-states-will-tax-social-security-benefits/ar-BB1gPKbF
Mars
Not talking of states. On Federal tax form.
Charlotta
Many thanks for this info!
Winston J.
Thank You, for the information.
REBECCA A.
i am inquiring of the amount of my social security retirement benefit payments are going to be? I was told that i am going to receive my first check in May of 2022. do you have that information?
JohnS.
Your monthly SS payments will be $22.13.
Popeye
You do realize this is a “blog”, right? You’re talking to the public, not one on one with the SSA.
Walter G.
Maybe if you quit giving all this money to entitled sponges it would motivate them to actually get jobs. Think that might help the worker shortage, inflation, and national debt???
Mike
Sounds like a true Trumper you have no clue what tthe ssa department does to prevent people who actually can work from getting disability. And if you think anyone can live off what they do help witb your living under a rock. God I hope you never need the help from Social Security because you would be the first person crying that its not enough for you and you deserve more. SMH keep living under your grand puba’s toupee!!!!
Charity
Trumpers are as clueless as their overlord. If Walter G had employment, he would know where the SS money comes from, that it is money he earned (if he ever had a job) & was taken by SSA/Medicare. He will get it paid back when he retires. Of course, the government then taxes you on the money they are giving back to you, that they took in the first place.
Katharyn
Walter may be getting a check from SSA as well. That is something that he will not disclose.
Mike H.
First of all I do collect a large disability check every single month because I worked hard for over 30 years and I paid into it. It’s my money that paid into it for over 30 years and the same applies to my pension. Unfortunately, I was in a horrible automobile accident and I was deemed totally disabled and I am confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life and I will never ever walk normal again.
Really? Trumper’s are clueless? We didn’t have these problems and issues when U.S. President Trump was in office. Ever since January 20th, 2021 the day the imbecile we now have in The White House was sworn into office this Country has gone down the drain.
I guess you enjoy the rising inflation, the high cost of fuel and in some parts of the Country it was reported on TV and in the newspapers the price per gallon of regular gas was almost $6.00. Economists have forecasted it is only going to get worse and the prices will continue to rise.
I guess you enjoy the high cost of electric, food, utilities, supply chain disruptions, a Southern border that’s out of control with tens of thousands of illegal immigrants coming into this Country every day and most of them are bringing illegal drugs with them then selling their illegal drugs on our streets and killing people.
The imbecile we now have in The White House had better handle this urgent situation in Ukraine the right way, because if he doesn’t we will wind up in World War III.
Wake up to the smell of coffee over there…!
bam
🎯👍👍 Well stated!!! 👵NM
Sean f.
You are so right mike everything you said is 100% true or it will be if that imbecile dosent get his head out of his you know what real soon
God bless
KBF
So sorry to hear what happened to you. No one deserves that. But it’s only been a couple of years living in a pandemic, curing attempted U.S. isolation, weakening our country’s reputation, division, elbowing other world leaders to jump in front of them, trying to overturn a legitimate election and damaging the republic/democracy. It took Trump 4 years plus 2 to do all that damage. Let’s try for a little civility. Would be refreshing.
Franco M.
No dumb democrat will believe what you said because they only watch CNN and MSNBC!
Beeman
You hit it right mike
Suzy
Want to get your benefits cut keep voting Republican, some want to totally eliminate it. Maybe when you hear talk about cutting entitlements you think if welfare, SSI is one of their so called entitlements good luck! STOP WATCHING FOX NEWS
OGMITCHY
Yeah I know that is the after effects of the incompetent ass white racist motherfucker that was there first before him which is Trump
SGF
Here here!!!
bigbig
You said it !!!!
Florian
And sadly, it seems that it’s going to get worse…perhaps much, much worse!!!
Useyourhead
‘Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants are coming into this Country (sic) every day . . . ‘ I don’t think so. First of all, even the government admits that the majority of ‘illegals’ in the US are tourists who have overstayed their visas. Canadians and Europeans do it all the time.
I’m going to assume, however, that you’re thinking of the southern border. However, at that rate (‘tens of thousands every day’), the sheer mass of people would be so overwhelming that the media would be showing it on TV every single night. You could literally stand anywhere along the border and watch them flood over. But, the truth is, most immigrants coming from the south on foot are – by UN definition – refugees, and are presenting themselves legally at entry points and requesting asylum – an international right. Further NONE of those people are bringing drugs with them.
There are several thousand every YEAR – not DAILY – who try – many successfully – to cross the border without authorization or papers. And, threatened by the drug cartels who control much of the area along the southern border, many are forced to be drug mules. But, they do so at great risk to themselves or threats of harm to their families, not for their own profit.
With regard to the drug trade, especially that coming from south of the border: I am old enough to remember when drugs coming from outside the country were carried in by white, well-traveled male Americans. I even knew one of them. It was during the 60s. Prior to that, most drug use was confined to a relatively small segment of the population. So, to challenge a common misconception about drug use in the US, neither Mexico nor Columbia is responsible for introducing or pushing drugs in the US; the market was already established, growing and seeking them. It should be no surprise then that there might be any number of people who would take note and step in to fill the demand. Were there no US market, the drug trade in Mexico and Columbia (the two stereotypical sources) would completely dry up.
So, look at yourselves in the mirror. American drug users are killing themselves. NO ONE is forcing anyone to start taking drugs. That is self-inflicted damage.
Kpw
We will have WW3 if USA does anything. That’s what Putin wants So should we bomb Russian troops? We can’t fly in and drop nothing off. Trump should have given Ukraine the military assistantance they needed. So what should Biden do exactly???
Hol
Amen!
Robin
No one can live off of it now with the inflation your left lunatics caused us all to endure. I lost my business due to your left policies. You are the one who is living under a rock. You should stock up on food and fill up some gas cans.
Rose W.
Stop listening to your retrumplican politicians. For years they fill you with fear mongering about the “left/democrats” when the last useful idiot in office gave 3 TRILLION in TAX CUTS to millionaires, billionaires, big corporations, and CEOs. You got nothing but the bill, and they threatened according to your favorite lying Senator Mitch McConnel that the SSS you get is an “ENTITLEMENT” and to pay for the tax cut they gave to the rich they want to cut your social security benefits. So instead of bashing the Democrats and Pelosi you need to thank them for standing in the gap fighting those republicans to keep their hands off our social security. And get this fact through your head and remember the country only prospers for EVERYBODY when the Democrats are in charge, and you need to stop thinking the the only person that can run the country does not have to be white, racist, and republican
Steve
Wow, what an unprofessional answer Mike, be ashamed, but then again, you probably voted for FJB.
Dave
You nailed it Steve!
Jack
She is right…you are wrong. Entitlement spending is out of control and the federal government is creating money out of thin air using the federal reserve.
Rose W.
Did you complain about the 3 TRILLION “ENTITLEMENT” TAX CUTS trump gave himself as well as other millionaire, billionaire, CEOs, and bit corporations ? Just wonder how you feel about having to pay for it, because you should know, there is no such thing as trickle down economics. The economy don’t grown from the top down, it grows from the bottom. Jeff Bezos the owner of Amazon paid no taxes on the tax cut they got. they’re now using that money they saved to built Space Ships instead of passing the savings down to their employees. And you will never be able to park your stupid a$$ in one of those seats on that Space Ship. So wake up, get some knowledge and stop voting against your best interest. I just can’t understand how you republicans keep voting for people who constantly threaten to take away your social security !!! And you believe it!!!! that’s what’s so crazy!!!!!
Tom
Walter’s attitude long pre-dated Trump’s political career and you don’t have to be a ‘Trumper’ to feel that way.
Todd4America
And you sound like a true dick attacking comments like you’re some smart ass. Im so thankful I don’t have to wake up in the morning to someone like you
Martin M.
Remember that all of what is done on this level is done on the Senate and House level. Social Security has no power to change things.
Gene P.
Exactly, and they have refused to acknowledge the serious underfunded issue and continue to kick the can down the road. But they keep spending and spending and spending until we have a debt that can never be made up. Every Senator and Congressman should be voted out of office and legislation must be passed to maintain a balanced budget. If I overspend my check book and bounce checks info to jail . These politicians spend over budget and nothing happens. That is BS.
SGF
If I overspend my check book and bounce checks info to jail . These politicians spend over budget and nothing happens. That is BS
Free government programs…
Add that to your BS list
Jay
If you want to request any change go to your local gov representative or write to them..Also request through AARP org
Grace T.
Why give a raise and then take most of it back by raising Medicare part B? Is there another insurance company the government could partnership with. Also the increase in prescription coverage.
Steve
Exactly Grace!!
Jenn S.
They give it to cover inflation, or so they say. My raise, by the time I factored in the Medicare raise, ended up being something like 4.7%. Considering inflation was around 7% in January when I got my first monthly increase, and considering it’s rising quickly, I fear I’m definitely losing money. Of course they’ve been stealing from SS since Johnson was president and never paid a dime back. The politicians need to live on SS and get Obamacare insurance when they retire. They also shouldn’t be able to be lifetime politicians. Term limits are needed.
SGF
The politicians need to live on SS and get Obamacare insurance when they retire. They also shouldn’t be able to be lifetime politicians. Term limits are needed.
None do…we pay for their private coverage.
Term limits-term limits-term limits
They are so far removed, they haven’t a clue…why should they
Vanessa
Obamacare was a scam. Should have called that Obsmascam.
Janina S.
My daughter (age 45) lives with me. She is disabled & gets a small SSDI income. I file taxes as head of household, with her as my dependent. (She does not file taxes.) I’m retired & get regular Social Security. Someone told me that I should NOT declare her SSDI income on my taxes. I can’t find anything in the IRS instructions about that. Can anyone confirm that I my daughter’s SSDI income should not be included when I file taxes?
JohnS.
If you have a local SS office in your town, please visit them. Short of that, you might need to consult a tax expert.
Bud C.
Your daughter’s income is her income and goes on her tax return if she is required to file one. Don’t put her income on your return. Depending on the amount of your financial support to your daughter, versus her separate income you may or may not be able to declare her as a dependent.
Shel
This is from the IRS Blog I just read. “The Benefit Statement isn’t available for people who only receive SSI payments because SSI payments aren’t taxed.” The benefit statement they are referring to is the Child tax credit, however, it says the SSI is not taxed.
Farmer J.
Thank-you for the article and concise manner it was written in.
Dont shoot the postman for delivering the mail
HARVEY M.
I DO NOT QUALIFIED FOR ANY CHILD TAX CREDIT, WHY SEND THIS OUT TO PERSONS WHO DO NOT HAVE THESE CREDITS, WHEN IRS IS NOW DELAYING OUR TAX REFUNDS DUE TO COVID-19, LACKING OF FUNDING & STAFFING, USE OLD COMPUTER EQUIPMENT TO SLOW DOWN REFUNDS?
Popeye
Why are you YELLING (all CAPS)?
Suzanne
Because you could qualify for the Earned Income Credit.
William G.
How do I obtain my mysocialsecurity I’d and password back I forgot them and can’t log I